Comprehensive microanalytical study of welding aerosols with x-ray and Raman based methods

A comprehensive analysis of individual welding fume particles of different size fraction has been performed by applying of an innovative combination of the energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (EDXRF), micro-Raman spectroscopy (MRS) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Owing to this set of analytical techniques, a systematic study of the chemical composition along with the size, morphology and structure parameters of the collected welding particles was performed. The results show distinct interdependencies between the particles' elemental composition and their sizes and structures, which are consistent with commonly assumed mechanisms of their formation and evolution. In particular, interactions between the particles of fine and coarse fractions as well as regularities in distribution of the most toxic welding fume components (Mn and its oxides) have been observed. Copyright (C) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.